Teach Me Jesus Thursdays: The Heart’s Compass

During Advent last month, I read to the boys the story of the wisemen bringing their gifts to Jesus. We talked about the symbolism of the gifts and how they pointed to who Jesus was and why he came. Then I asked, “If you gave Jesus a gift, what kind of gift do you think he would want?”

“For me not to sin so much” my youngest responded.

It seems like a likely response. In fact, as a Mom, that would be a gift I would appreciate as well! But his response pointed out a thinking and assumption many of us believe: that sin is our greatest problem.

I once heard a pastor say, “The fact is, your children’s sin is not their biggest problem. It’s that their heart’s compass is all wrong. It’s pointing away from God. Rather than turning to God, they seek out false lovers.”

My boys received compasses for Christmas. I used it to help them understand that their greatest problem is their heart’s compass. It’s not the outward acts of sin, but the inward posture and condition of their heart. Because of the Fall, it naturally points them away from truth North-from God their Maker. It points to false substitutes, idols, and counterfeits.

We talked about what would happen if they were out hiking and their compass was broken. They would hike and hike and think they were heading in the right direction but all along they would be going the opposite way. This is what happens with our heart’s compass. It tells us that what will make us happy and what we really need is actually the opposite of what is true. It pulls us toward things, experiences, money, power, and success instead of toward God. The more we follow it, the more we are led away from our true source of joy.

We then talked about how Christ came to redeem us and change our hearts. He came to fulfill what was promised in Ezekiel 11, “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God” (vs. 19-20). We talked about the role of the Spirit in our lives, convicting, prompting, and pointing us to God. It is only through the Spirit’s work in our hearts that we can find true North. Only by the Spirit can we seek after God and love him with all our heart.

A little while later, after our compass activity and discussion, I found my oldest son drawing at his desk. This is what he drew:

Helping our children understand their heart’s pull toward things instead of God is crucial. We talk about idols of the heart quite often around our house. The more children understand and believe that only God can meet all the desires of their heart, the more that counterfeits fail to bring any satisfaction. For another post on this topic, read Teach Me Jesus Thursday: Filling Our God Shaped Hole.